29 year story of ill prisoner Güler

  • actual
  • 12:16 27 November 2022
  • |
img
DİYARBAKIR - Prisoner Abdulselam Güler, whose village was burned to the ground by Turkish soldiers and forced to migration is not released despite his many illnesses. İnci Güler has been screaming for her brother's freedom at the Justice Watch for months.
 
Each member of the Güler family, who moved to the city center after the forced evacuation of the Delit rural neighborhood of Diyarbakır's Kulp district in 1991, faced state violence many times. While Samet and Esat Güler brothers joined the PKK, father İhsan Güler was put in prison. Over time, mother Nuriye and father İhsan passed away. Abdulselam Güler (53), one of the brothers who participated in the democratic rights-seeking actions against systematic oppression, was arrested by the State Security Court (DGM) in 1993 when he was only 22 years old. Güler, who has been imprisoned for 29 years, was transferred to Diyarbakır, Bingöl, Ordu, Siirt and Bandırma prisons. Guler, who suffered from many diseases he caught in prison, is now struggling with diseases such as heart failure, high blood pressure and shortness of breath. His sister İnci Güler Altındağ, who knew Güler in prison, who was expected to be released on May 19, 2023, participated in the ongoing Justice Watch, which was started by his relatives in Diyarbakır on November 16, 2021 for his brother's release.
 
'WE ARE ACCUSTOMED TO STATE VIOLENCE'
 
Inci Güler Altındağ, who told our agency about her family members' experiences and her brother's situation, said, “When my brother first sent to prison, he was tortured for 50 days that he could not stand up due to torture. They tortured them so much that even the rope marks on their hands were visible when we went to the first visit. They were in a horrible state. After my brother and my elder brother joined the PKK, the pressure increased even more. After they left, they burned our house. They said, 'We will not let you live here' and indeed they did not, they were raiding our house every day, saying 'it is the home of terrorists'. We have been familiar with the oppression of the state since our childhood."
 
'I GOT TO KNOW MY BROTHER WHEN HE WAS IN PRISON'
 
Explaining that his brother was sent to prison during the preparation process for university, Altındağ said, “My brother was arrested while preparing for the exam. He was a person who loved to live. I got to know my brother during prison visits. We grew up together, but I don't know about his temper, because as two brothers from the same family, we never knew each other. After our house was burned, my father was also arrested. After our house was burned by the state, we were able to stay in our own house for 2-3 months. The soldiers kept raiding our house. Then we settled in the center of Diyarbakır.”
 
'WE WERE PRAYING'
 
Altındağ said, “We were very sad when my brother was arrested, because we knew that he would be punished because of my brothers who joined the PKK. We were praying that they would not kill them by torture in custody. It was worse than death. They tortured them every day and sentenced them to life imprisonment. They were exiled to many prisons. We wandered around Turkey for prison visits. He was brought to the prison of Ordu, Bingöl, Siirt, Bandırma and finally Diyarbakır.  No state has a prisoner who has served 30 years. They did this to us because we are Kurds."
 
'HIS FREEDOM IS MY FREEDOM'
 
Emphasizing that his brother's illnesses became more serious after he was imprisoned, Altındağ concluded: “When my brother went to prison, he had no illness. Due to the torture he suffered, he now has a heart condition. He has high blood pressure. They say to him 'you're fine, it's normal' They don't even increase the dosage of the drugs. 29 years is easy to say. Despite oppression, exile and torture, we have been resisting for years. We stand up against all the oppression of the state. Sick prisoners are driven to death on purpose. My brother's freedom will be my freedom too. We make our voices heard, but the state plays the deaf and dumb.”
 
MA / Zerrin Sargut

View More Articles

25/07/2023
22:53 MA Correspondent Arslan arrested
16:59 Number of journalists detained increased to 5
15:01 People blocked, the shepherd taken to the operation
14:48 Xîzan region where the operation continues bombed
13:26 Reason for the detention of journalists: Sharing the news of the appointment of the prosecutor and judge
12:56 Application from lawyers for meeting with Abdullah Öcalan
12:46 Politician Kava: Every area of life is in isolation
12:31 Journalist Baksi: There is an operation plan in Rojava before the local elections
11:57 Intense clashes in Zap
11:01 'The lawlessness in Imrali must end'
10:57 Objection from the prosecutor to the acquittal of MP Uysal
10:38 3 journalists detained
10:38 5.6 magnitude earthquake in Adana
24/07/2023
17:15 Explosion in Şemzînan: A ranger lost his life
16:38 Lausanne Conference final declaration announced
15:47 Press holiday in Turkey: Censorship, violence, detention, arrest...
14:12 Human rights organizations took action for Derviş looking for his family
13:40 Villages of Ezidis from Zevra are under rangers occupation
23/07/2023
15:10 Lausanne Conference: The struggle of Kurdish women has reached the leading stage
13:09 Lausanne Conference on the second day
11:28 Lawyer Şahin: Discipline does not prevent the lawyer's visit
11:17 'Military process is the reason of ecological destruction'
10:53 Mukriyan: Öcalan's idea of 'Social Lausanne' has a chance
20/07/2023
17:09 Release of 30-year prisoner delayed for second time
15:16 33 'dream travellers' commemoration: Comrades fight for their dreams
14:29 TJA: Lausanne is not legitimate in the eyes of the people, it should be canceled
14:10 Application from lawyers for meeting with Abdullah Öcalan
13:59 Educator who supported the 'Jin, jiyan, azadi' resistance arrested
13:57 No news from Abdullah Öcalan
13:11 'War increases violence against women'
12:30 'Education been turned into a tool to shape society'
11:59 Evidence in the Pirsûs Massacre covered
11:38 Biggest demand at public meetings is lifting the isolation
19/07/2023
17:01 Abdullah Öcalan: Kurds must prepare for Social Lausanne
16:18 Armed attack on HDP building
16:09 Dağ and Er's hunger strike on its 63rd day
15:49 Green Left Party's proposal to amend the Execution Law
14:59 Xîzan villages are under threat
18/07/2023
16:43 Sit-in decision from Şenyaşar family
16:36 Fadıl Şenyaşar not been released
15:32 Application from lawyers for meeting with Abdullah Öcalan
15:30 Forest areas in Xîzan been bombed for days
15:18 Kurds to Lausanne on its 100th Anniversary!
15:17 Commission established for hunger strikers of Dağ and Er
17/07/2023
14:10 DBP Women's Council Spokesperson Sarıca: Isolation must be lifted
13:53 Dağ and Er's hunger strike is on its 61st day
13:52 Women discuss Lausanne
13:43 11 hours of torture for the youth who was kidnapped
13:22 'We will continue to pursue the truth'
16/07/2023
16:41 Last sit-in in front of the courthouse from Şenyaşar